Morning Readers! Sorry I didn't blog last week. Unfortunately I've caught the dreaded flu lurgy and have been stuck in bed.

I didn't even make it to my Slimming World Group as I was aching, coughing and hacking but generally feeling terrible.

The highlight of the week was probably being rushed to hospital last weekend with a very high temperature and me struggling with my breathing due to having what Doctors described as, "A very bad chest infection, affecting the asthma with a dose of influenza to top it all off!"

So here I am, back home, having had two different types of antibiotics and also 2 courses of steroids and I still feel dreadful. I just hope it clears up soon as I don't make the best patient and I get very weepy when I'm not well. My poor Husband has the patience of a saint.

I did get manage to get to weigh in this week and really wasn't surprised by the results on the scales. I'd gained 6lb.

I'm really not upset by this as firstly, I thought it would have been more and secondly, I haven't been eating much over the past two weeks.

When I have eaten, it's been food that I fancied and felt I could eat rather than food that I should be eating. I've also been drinking Ribena as it eased my throat but again, I know it won't have helped with the weight loss.

I didn't have the energy and certainly couldn't be bothered to think about the eating plans. My chest felt, and to be honest, and still feels like someone has been stamping on it while wearing hob nailed boots. It really isn't a pleasant feeling.

I've been trying to get back on track since weigh in on Wednesday, but I'm still not eating like I should be. Hopefully though I might lose something. How are you all doing? I hope the lbs have been dropping off you.

A lady who goes to our group had been on a trip to a big Chocolate Factory. I don't know yet how she managed to come in with a 2lb loss. Don't give up if you haven't got the results you were hoping for, today is a new day and we can get back on track.

Almond Cookies

Ingredients

57g Self-Raising Flour
113g Plain Flour
42g Low-Fat Baking Margarine
100g Vanilla Müllerlight yogurt
4 tbsp Artificial Sweetener
6 drops Almond Essence
Low Calorie Cooking Spray

Method

1. Sift the flours into a bowl and rub in the margarine with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Add the yogurt, sweetener and almond essence and knead until the mixture forms a soft dough (add more flour if too sticky or more yogurt if too dry). Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill overnight in the fridge.

3. Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Line two baking sheets with grease proof paper and spray with low calorie cooking spray.

4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and roll out to the thickness of a pound coin. Using a small, star shaped cookie cutter (or any other shape) cut into 24 cookies.

5. Carefully place the cookies on the baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes until slightly risen and browned.

6. Remove the cookies from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Let the children help to decorate the cookies with brightly coloured decorations.

This recipe is great for unexpected visitors that pop round before Christmas. They're also great as gifts when you put them into a decorated basket or tin. Why not let your kids take them in for their teacher to wish them a Merry Christmas?

Have a great week and hopefully I'll see you lighter next week, Love Wendy